Motor vehicle axle



A. MOORHOUSE MOTOR VEHICLE AXLE Filed April 29, 1920 lir.

Patented Aug. 1s, 1931 Ulmuanv -STATI-:s PATENT o1-"Flea ALFREDMOORHOUSE, OF DETROIT, MICHI GAN, ASSIGNOR T PACKAED MOTOR OAR COMPANY,OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OE MICHIGAN y MOTOR VEHICLE AXLEpplication med April 29,

prove and simplify the construction of the rear axle assembly.

Another object of they invention is to pro` vide means for preventingcontact of the frame with the' axle `housing should the frame be carriedwwn beyond the s1 staining power of the spl. gs. f

With these objects in view, theinvention isl embodied in preferable formin the construction and arrangement hereinafter described andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which the vview shown is alongitudinal sectional view of one end ofthe rear u axle, showing thewheel mounted thereon.

Referring to the drawing,. 10 indlcates one of therear axle shaftshaving at its extreme outer end a flange 11 to which islsecured by meansof rivet head .bolts 12, the' hub 13, of a wheel 14. The wheel hub isprovided with a'n inwardly projecting annular tapered flange 15,adaptedto center the wheel with respect, to .the axle as: the wheel isslipped overthey end of the latter.

Within the fiangexl the axle is provided with a similar annular stepflange 16, against the ,face of which bears the inner edge of an annularradially extending portion of a cage or retainer member 17, whichportion is provided with a recess in 4which'is held a iiexiblepackinglS, adapted to bear against the surface of the step flange of theaxle in order to exclude dust and dirt from the bearings. 19 is an outerbearing ring between which and 1920.. serial No. 377,559.

an inner complementary bearingring 20 are mounted anti-friction members,such as balls 21. The outer part of the radial portion of the member 17serves to retain the outer ring against outward displacement. The innerbearing'member is mounted upon an annular retainer member 22, having aradial flange 23 which extends over a part of the inner face of thebearlng ring 20. This retainer is rigidly secured to the axle 10 bymeans of bolts 24, which extend through the ange 11, and

are secured by nuts on the outside of such flange. Thering 20 bears atits outer face against the flange. 16.

25 indicates the inner retain-ing element for the outer bearing ring,and it is formed as a flange of a cylindrical sleeve 26, mounted withinthe axle housing 27, through which the axle shaft is adapted to extendlongitudinally. This axle lhousing also has a radial iange 28 at itsend, which is secured to the iange 25 by suitable rivets or bolts,appropriate packing bein said flanges. The ange of the sleeve isextended radially at l29 to provide an-extensi'on, forming part ofthebrake operating assembly, and bolts 30 secure-said extension to theouter bearing retainer 17 Y A stiffener tube 31 surroundsthe axle andbears against the sleeve 26, and is centered' by means of a flangedspacing ring 32, secured to the axle housing. This tube serves' tostiflen the axle housing assembly.

, A brake drum 32 of the wheel by meansof bolts 33.

. It will be seen that the wheel. and the brake drum constitute oneassembly, the axleanother, and the this arrangement, both the wheel andthe axle shaft may be removed from their mountings without removing thebearings or disturbing thealignment thereof. To effect this operation,the outer nuts on the bolts 12 Aare ren moved which permits the removalof the also interposed between.

is secured to the hub 13 bearings, retainers 17 and 25, and axle housing27 another assembly. With .i

Wheel together with the brake drum 3Q. If it is desired to remove alsothe axle shaft, then, after the withdrawal of the Wheel, the outer nutof the bolt 24 is removed so as to release the shaft from the partsconnected to the bearing` assembly and then the axle shaft may beWithdrawn, leaving the bearings in their assembly With their correctalignment preserved.

Secured to the axle housing is a spring trunnion 84, from which anextension 35 projects laterally, providing an abutment Which is adaptedto receive the contact of the frame 36 when the latter is carried downbeyondY the limit of support by the spring. The axle is thus protectedfrom injury by the frame.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. In a motor vehicle axle construction, in combination, an axlehousing, an axle bearing positioned Within the outer end of the housing,said bearing having inner and outer races and the outer race beingretained by the housing against movement axially thereof, a shaft Intestimony whereof I afiix my signature.

v ALFRED lMOORIIOUSE.

extending axially of the housing, the inner end of which is driven andthe outerend of which is supported by said bearing and projects from thehousing and is provided with a portion to Which a wheel may bedetachably secured, said shaft also having a portion adapted to serve asan outboard abutment for the inner bearing race, a retaining devicemounted on the shaft and having a portion adapted tofengage the inboardside of the inner bearing race, and means accessible from the outer endof the axle extending to and operatively engaging said retainer wherebysaid retainer and shaft may be relatively adjusted axially of thehousing andA caused to rigidly secure the inner bearing race to theshaft so that the shaft is held by the bearing against axial outwardmovement relatively to the housing, said last mentioned means beingreleasable to permit Withdrawal of the shaft from the housing Withoutremoval or displacement ofthe bearing.

2. In a motor vehicle axle construction, in combination, an axlehousing,an axle bearing positioned within the' outer end of the housing, saidbearing having inner Vand outer races i and the outer race beingretained by the housing against movementaxially thereof, a shaftextending axially of the housing, the inner end of which is driven andthe outer end of which is supported by said bearing and projects fromthe housing and is provided with a portion to which a Wheel may bedetachably secured, said shaft also having an annulari abutment adaptedto` engage' the inner bearing race on its outboard side, a retainingdevice encircling the shaft and Aadapted 'to engage the inboard side ofthe inner bearing race, and a bolt carried by the shaft, said bolt beingaccessible from the outer end of the axle and extending to andoperatively engaging

